To promote and encourage the ingrowth of surrounding bony and soft tissues, biomedical implants sometimes contain one or more porous surface. In essence, these surfaces function as scaffolds, which provide desirable load-bearing strength at the implantation site as a result of the ingrown tissue.
While many implants have surfaces conducive to bony ingrowth, the depth of ingrowth penetration associated with these devices is not only limited by various biological factors, but is also limited by the fact that the ingrowth must be achieved without mechanical assistance. Moreover, in addition to promoting bony and soft tissue ingrowth, porous implants may also undesirably introduce microbes and metabolic agents into the implantation site, thereby increasing the potential for an infection to develop. Not only is the risk of infection increased, but the presence of toxins, wound drainage fluid and other substances within the implantation site may further hinder the positive effects of the ingrowth if they become trapped inside the porous material.
To minimize the increased threat of infection, biological pressure gradients are sometimes utilized during the surgical process. These pressure gradients not only enhance post-surgical recovery and healing (e.g., by assisting with wound closure and the application of suction forces for draining bodily fluids and exudates), but they also directly counter the onset of infectious conditions. Finally, they may also be used to irrigate wound sites by infusing them with pharmacological agents, such as medicines, antibiotics, growth factors and blood platelets.
The present invention is intended to improve upon and resolve some of these known deficiencies of the art.